Boat propeller injures woman

September 09, 2009

EAST JORDAN - An Ellsworth woman was seriously injured when she was struck by a boat's propeller in Six Mile Lake Tuesday.

Charlevoix County Sheriff Don Schneider identified the woman as Jill Marie Drenth, 20 who was transported to Charlevoix Area Hospital by East Jordan Ambulance. Drenth underwent surgery for her injuries and was listed in stable condition today, Wednesday.

Deputies were called to the boat launch on Miles Road just north of the Antrim County line shortly after 2 p.m. to a report of a boating accident.

Police said their investigation showed that a family of four had been boating and wake-boarding on Six Mile Lake when the driver of a 1987 Rinker 17-foot boat, the victim's mother Gail Marie Drenth, 40, also of Ellsworth moved the vessel forward to remove slack from the tow line. Police said as the driver began to accelerate and started to turn, she was unable to stop the boat and ran over the victim, who was on the wake board.